Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Young Invincibles

YOU ARE IN YOUR 20's or 30's. You feel healthy and somewhat indestructible. Common colds, the flu, or a stomach bug may try to wrestle you into the doctor’s office on occasion, but you have a history of winning that battle before the MD even gets a phone call. There is no reason in your mind that you need to have health insurance.

Maybe you had insurance until you graduated from college and were soon kicked off of your parents’ plan and now it may seem like an empty and unwanted expense. You just may be indestructible. In fact, the insurance carriers hope that you are. They call people like you “Young Invincibles” and they even create health plans tailored to you.

The truth is that this is the best time to go get health insurance because it is the easiest situation to be in to secure yourself a low rate and good coverage. If you wait until that first moment of vulnerability – a skiing accident, a bike fall, food poisoning, an emergency room visit, etc. – it may be too late and an even more unwanted cost may arrive in your mailbox…a non-negotiated, uninsured rate bill from the doctor’s office or hospital that could far exceed your yearly health insurance plan premium.

Health Insurance rates are less expensive than you might think. If you have the right agent to help you apply and get approved for the most appropriate plan you may even feel a greater sense of invincibility…with an added touch of maturity.



Health Insurance Needs for you, your Family, or your Business?
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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Health Insurance Puzzle: Piece the Family Together by Breaking Up the Pieces

BUYING HEALTH INSURANCE AS A FAMILY is like sitting around the coffee table putting a puzzle together. But instead of one possible outcome, the pieces can fit together to make an album of finished puzzle pictures. The strategy, however, is no different. The key to completing the puzzle is to find the corner pieces or flat-sided pieces so you can fill in the middle accordingly.

The corner pieces to your health insurance puzzle represent the make-up of your family. How many members are there and what is your budget? A Family Health Insurance plan can start with just two people. It is very common for a party of two or more to purchase a "Family" health insurance policy assuming their will be value-added benefits in terms of cost and coverage. In fact, the opposite is usually true. The overall benefits might be greater when you split the plan up if your family has three or less members.

Often times a family policy for two people can cost more in monthly premium than two separate policies combined. Plus, the deductibles and limits per person don't change. A family of three will be somewhat similar. A family can really start to save money on purchasing a plan together when there are four or more members because the monthly premium stays the same after three family members and the combined yearly deductible can decrease.

The flat-sided pieces to your puzzle represent the needs of each family member. Some health insurance plans are more appropriate for males and others are more appropriate for females. Plans that don't include maternity benefits can cost much less in monthly premium, often have low or NO deductibles, and can usually only be purchased by an individual. Some of these plans are even appropriate for women because they have an "escape clause" that allows the member to slide into a high-deductible maternity plan should she become pregnant.

How does your puzzle look now? It is time to fill in the middle and complete your puzzle. The final piece to this puzzle is your health insurance agent. Your puzzle's picture can change from year to year and your agent's job is to help you solve it.


Health Insurance Needs for you, your Family, or your Business?
Click here for a free Health Insurance Quote!

Monday, February 4, 2008

Travel Insurance...Take-Off With No Worries!

Your trip is planned and you can almost feel your feet sinking into the white sand beach; or the cool rush of the mountain as your skis blaze down the face; or the ship docking in port on the Mediterranean. Whatever your destination or travel agenda may be, the last thing you want to think about is the probability or the possibility that something might inhibit your travel plans.

Most likely everything will go as planned. Perhaps there will be a small flight delay, a touch of altitude sickness, a junky hotel room. These common travel bumps are tiny scars on our adventurous skins that we glance at with laughter and nostalgia. But, now more than ever, it is the larger events – some unforeseen and many easily predictable – that leave much more than a memory scar, that are responsible for cancellations and interruptions, baggage loss or theft for many of today’s travelers. Often times these mishaps lead to thousands of dollars spent on trips that were only partially enjoyed or not enjoyed at all.

Enter Travel Insurance! A ten minute discussion with a professional and knowledgeable Travel Insurance Agent is a nice place to start. You will often find that for 10%-15%of the cost of your trip you can insure you travels against trip cancellation and trip interruption (due to illness to you, a travel companion, or an immediate family member not traveling with you). These policies can also guard against travel delays, baggage loss, delay, or theft and most importantly, Emergency Medical Services and Evacuation.

Most importantly, make sure to know the rules that the insurance carrier of your choice has towards covering pre-existing conditions. In order to have pre-existing conditions covered, some companies require you to purchase your travel insurance anytime before making the majority payment for your trip. Other companies require you to buy travel insurance within 15 days of your initial trip deposit date.

There are many travel insurance carriers and even more plan options to choose from. I have found that two of the most reliable travel insurance carriers are HTH Worldwide and AIG Travel Guard Insurance. These two companies provide an menu of plan options to fit your needs and your travels. They also have competitive rates and thorough and helpful customer service and claims teams.

Working with a travel insurance agent who has a good relationship with carriers and their claims teams will ensure you the best possible service and to keep the investment of your trip well protected. Your agent should be available to you throughout the purchasing process, throughout your travels, and to guide you through a claim should you need to submit one. Your agent should also supply you with the knowledge for the proper protocol to access doctors and you insurance carrier while you are out of the country.

Wouldn’t you like to travel without the financial worry should something cause your trip to be canceled or interrupted, or if you need immediate medical attention while traveling abroad? Chances are you probably won’t have to use it. The peace of mind that you are well protected can allow you to take-off, land, explore, and relax with a smile and a sense of freedom.

Stay tuned to this blog for more tips on purchasing Travel Insurance…


Click here for free Travel Insurance Quotes!


Health Insurance Needs for you, your Family, or your Business?
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Monday, January 28, 2008

Cost-Effective HSA Health Insurance Plans

The following are a few great health insurance plans in the market that have very comprehensive coverage and can help you save money.

Cost-Effect California HSA Plans for 2008

Health Savings Account Plans : These plans are tax incentive health insurance plans that are growing in supply and popularity every year. Many HSA plans lack co-pays, so general coverage does not start until the deductible is met. This often lowers the cost of the monthly premium which makes these plans enticing at first glance.

Your accountant may recommend an HSA health plan because of its tax advantages. When you open a Health Savings Account through a compatible health insurance plan it allows you to put money away (up to $2850 per year now) tax free. This money can accumulate interest and can be used to pay for your medical services and Medicare premiums (when the time comes) with the use of a debit card that is authorized only for these uses. Also important, your accumulated funds and interest will rollover year to year.

Blue Cross Lumenos Plans are designed to encourage preventative care. They cover Annual Physical Exams, OB-GYN Exams, and Well Baby Care at 100%.

Some Popular HSA-Compatible Plans in the Market include:

• Blue Cross Lumenos HSA plans

• Blue Shield Shield Spectrum Savings Plans

• Aetna MC Open Access HSA Plans

• Health Net Simple Choice HSA


Click here for your free California Health Insurance quote!

Cost-Effective HMO Health Insurance Plans

The following are a few great health insurance plans in the market that have very comprehensive coverage and can help you save money.

Cost-Effective California HMO's for 2008

Saver or Value HMO's (Health Maintenance Organization): These plans provide the extremely comprehensive coverage of an HMO, but the addition of a deductible lowers the monthly premium. These plans still carry low co-pays. HMO's are a good option for women who are planning to become pregnant. The maximum-out-of pocket limit is normally significantly lower than a PPO. When the math is done to equate the difference in total spending one may get more for the money with a Saver or Value HMO.

Some Popular HMO Plans in the Market include:

• Blue Cross Saver HMO

• Blue Shield Access Value

Click here for your free California Health Insurance quote!

Cost-Effective PPO Health Insurance Plans

The following are a few great health insurance plans in the market that have very comprehensive coverage and can help you save money.

Cost-Effective California PPO Plans for 2008

First Dollar Plans: These plans have a $0 deductible so the member is paying only a percentage (usually 40%) of the negotiated rate for services from the very start of the policy. First Dollar Plans normally carry a doctor's visit co-pay from $25 - $40. Such plans do not include maternity benefits*, which helps to keep the monthly premiums down. *This may be a concern for women, but companies that carry these plans will often let you slide into their high deductible plan (~$5000 deductible) that includes maternity benefits should the member become pregnant.

These plans include different drug options to choose from...No Rx, Generic Only Rx, or Comprehensive Rx (Brand Name).

Some Popular First Dollar Plans in the Market include:

• Blue Cross Right Plan PPO 40

• Blue Shield Active Start 25 & 35

• Aetna MC Open Access 25

• Kaiser Permenente $25 & $50 Copayment Plan

• Health Net Simple Value 30 & 40


Blue Cross Smart Sense Plans: These are really flexible plans that offer 4 different deductibles ($500, $1500, $2500, & $5000), low monthly premiums, and a very low Annual Maximum Out-Of-Pocket of $2500. No Maternity Benefits and a choice of Generic Only Rx or Comprehensive Rx.


Medical/Dental/Vision Plans: These plans carry low deductibles that are often equal to their maximum out-of-pocket limits. They also include basic dental benefits and vision exams. These plans do not include maternity benefits and only include a Generic Drug option. Such plans are marketed toward the 19-29 age group, but these plans may be appropriate at any age.

Some Popular Medical/Dental/Vision Plans in the Market include:

• Blue Cross TONIK (has 3 different deductible options) *TONIK has strict underwriting guidelines. It is advisable to consult your health insurance agent before applying.

• Blue Shield Essential Plans

Click here for your free California Health Insurance quote!

California Health Insurance: The Keys To Finding The Most Appropriate and Cost-Effective Plan

CALIFORNIA'S HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET has unveiled many cost-effective health insurance plans. With a little bit of research consumers can save a significant amount of money each year by securing the most appropriate health insurance plan for themselves, their families, and their employees. In the end, they might just have more positive feelings about California's health care system.

Despite the highly visible social action efforts taking place in Sacramento to heal our health care wounds, it is likely that big changes are still a while away from taking effect. So, in the next few years there is a lot that you as employers, individuals, and families can do to quell the negative reputation that the health care system gets and start making the insurance process work in our favor.

In this age of internet shopping, more and more people each year are purchasing their health insurance plans online without knowing which plans are most appropriate for them. Most choose the health insurance plan that has a low monthly premium, but later find that this plan doesn't fit their needs or the needs of their loved ones or workers. As a result, the costs can be much greater in the long run. Usually, the most appropriate health insurance plan will end up being the most cost-effective health insurance plan, even if it isn't the plan with the lowest monthly premium.

Finding the most appropriate and cost-effective health insurance plan can be accomplished through a few simple steps:

1) Contact a professional health insurance agent from a referral or call the agency that you find online

2) Ask the right questions:

a. What is the difference between a PPO and an HMO? Which one would benefit me the most?

b. What is a deductible, co-pay, coinsurance, maximum out-of-pocket limit?

c. If I have pre-existing conditions, how will that affect my family's rate and approval probability?

d. Should I sign up separately from my family?

e. Are there $0 deductible plans available? Would this be appropriate for me? Why? Why not?

f. If I get declined, what are my alternatives?

g. Which plans am I more likely to be approved or declined for?

3) Learn about the different types of health insurance plans in the market. This will only take a few moments to understand.

Becoming educated about the health insurance market is not as daunting, as difficult, or as time consuming as most of us are afraid of. In fact, a trustworthy and professional health insurance agent will be able to help you narrow down your choices so that you may choose the most appropriate plans for you, your family, or your employees in just a few minutes.

The next time you are searching for health insurance in California, please take the above suggestions to heart. Asking the right questions will make you a more proactive, educated, and responsible consumer and the knowledge that you gain will not only help you to find the right health insurance plan, but will relieve you from future aggravation and will save you valuable time and money in the long run.

Click here for your free California Health Insurance quote!

Today's Health Insurance Jungle: A Good Health Insurance Agent Can Guide you Safely Through

Choosing between health insurance companies and health insurance plans can be a daunting task if you do it on your own. I’ve heard many people compare it to finding your way through a dense, foreboding jungle. It is easy to get lost and entangled, and everything looks the same at first glance. There are so many health insurance companies and health insurance plans, premiums and co-pays to sift through that finding the right health insurance coverage can easily make your head spin.

Responsible adventurers hire a guide to take them through the health insurance coverage jungle. A trained health insurance agent, who knows the terrain, can foresee problems and present alternatives that can lead you safely through. So why wouldn’t you do the same when it comes to purchasing health insurance coverage? A health insurance agent is a crucial tool that we can all use to help us find the best health insurance coverage at the best rates for ourselves and our families.

Your health insurance agent is not only your guide, but also your teammate. Tackling this task alone with a computer and a phone can be a painstaking process. Dealing directly with the health insurance companies will put you in touch with phone operators that are less likely than an agent to know how to find the most appropriate health insurance coverage for you and/or your family. Furthermore, a qualified health insurance agent that you come to know personally will become your advocate through this process and help you overcome any challenges you are faced with at the time of application or once you have secured a health insurance plan.

Has this ever happened to you? You have a pre-existing condition and are having tremendous difficulty finding health insurance companies who will cover you. You become discouraged and are left with no place to turn. Trying to work the arduous process of overturning a health insurance company’s decision can be virtually impossible and can take months before you receive that all-but-certain decline notice once again. The right health insurance agent can help you open doors that wouldn’t otherwise be available to you. He/she can expedite the underwriting process, anticipate all paperwork the carrier will need, know of alternative plans with lower underwriting guidelines, and keep in daily contact with the health insurance company to force a decision in days rather than months.

Here are a few practices that a good health insurance agent will use to find the best way to get you and your family approved:

· Requesting a "Probable Outcome" report from the underwriters based on your pre-existing conditions. This will allow the health insurance agent to construct an appropriate game plan far in advance of any potential delays from the health insurance company

· Finding out upfront if medical records will be requested, and if so, sending an authorization form to you to fill out and return immediately (without a proactive health insurance agent, this process alone can take weeks)

· Staying in close contact with the doctor’s office to rush the return of medical records or even request a recommendation letter for insurance, from the doctor

· Finding a health insurance plan that you will more likely be approved for in the first place (for example, if you take medications but are not ill, you may be eligible for a plan that does not include prescription drug coverage or only includes coverage for generic drugs)

Selecting and securing health insurance coverage does not have to be an insurmountable adventure. With pre-existing conditions, lapses in health insurance coverage or any other irregularities, you can still obtain coverage. It just requires assistance from a professional that knows the proper pathways to take. And even better, you don’t have to pay any extra charges for the services of your health insurance agent. They are compensated elsewhere.

Don’t put yourself through the time-consuming, frustrating hassle of navigating the health insurance jungle on your own. Your health insurance agent is your guide and his/her experience and expertise is the blade – clearing the way for you towards a future of safety and security.

Click here for your free California Health Insurance quote!